Actors in anti-Islam video 'shocked'

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 12 (UPI) -- The cast and crew on a film blamed for inciting protests at U.S. State Department posts in Libya and Egypt say they were "grossly misled" by the producer.

The 80 actors and crew members of "Innocence of Muslims" said in a statement Wednesday they are "extremely upset and feel taken advantage of by the producer," CNN reported.

"We are 100 percent not behind this film and were grossly misled about its intent and purpose," the statement said. "We are shocked by the drastic re-writes of the script and lies that were told to all involved. We are deeply saddened by the tragedies that have occurred."

Cindy Lee Garcia of Bakersfield, Calif., told Gawker.com she was hired to act in the film, but she and the rest of the cast had been told the project was about life in Egypt 2,000 years ago.

"It wasn't based on anything to do with religion, it was just on how things were run in Egypt," she said. "There wasn't anything about Muhammad or Muslims or anything."

Garcia said she was cast in the project after answering a casting call on Craigslist in July 2011 and was given a script with the title, "Desert Warriors."

"Muhammad wasn't even called Muhammad," she said. "He was 'Master George.'"

She said the dialogue in the online trailer is overdubbed, with the word "Muhammad," as well as several offensive references to Islam, inserted in place of the original dialogue.

The producer of the film, who has been identified as Sam Bacile, has been unavailable for media inquiries and there are reports he is in hiding.

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